Sony full-frame camera coming, 500mm F4 lens finally announced

Sony has confirmed it will be making a full-frame replacement for its flagship A900 DSLR. No further details were given during a round-table discussion at the CP+ show in Japan, but we find it hard to believe the result will step away from the SLT technology the company has invested so heavily in. The company has also finally announced the A-mount 500mm F4 lens that it has been showing in various states of preparedness since PMA 2007 will be available from late March.

No details of price are given but the premium 'G' branding and the fact it's a 500mm F4 are likely to make as substantial a dent in your wallet as the lens would make if you dropped it onto a particularly malleable surface.

Closer encounters with new 500mm super-telephoto:

Nano AR Coating on optical surfaces for flawless still images and HD video

Compatible with SteadyShot INSIDE featured in all α cameras

New SSM drive circuit for quick, accurate autofocus

Rugged dust- and moisture-resistant design: ideal partner for SLT-A77

Enhanced handling and operability

Serious photographers can pull distant subjects closer with a powerful new 500mm (equivalent to 750mm with APS-C camera) super-telephoto lens from Sony.

The SAL500F40G is ideal for sports, wildlife and demanding imaging applications that require extreme magnification with uncompromised optical performance.

The SAL500F40G is the longest fixed focal length G Lens from Sony to date. Whether you’re shooting detail-packed stills or Full HD video, you’ll enjoy frame-filling close-ups with flawless resolution. With a bright F4.0 maximum aperture, its excellent light gathering power allows the use of faster shutter speeds to broaden shooting opportunities.

The ruggedly-engineered SAL500F40G copes effortlessly with tough photo assignments. Focusing ring and front/rear joints are protected by interlocking seals that shrug off dust and moisture, even when you’re shooting outdoors in driving rain or arid desert conditions. This weather-resistant design makes the SAL500F40G a perfect partner for the SLT-A77 (α77) Translucent Mirror camera that offers serious photographers similarly ruggedized performance.

Like all other A-mount lenses, the SAL500F40G is compatible with the SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilisation system that’s featured in every α Translucent Mirror and DSLR camera from Sony. Depending on shooting conditions, camera model and settings, you’ll enjoy camera-shake blur compensation that’s equivalent to approximately 4.5 stops (max.) in shutter speed.

Inside, the advanced optical design of the SAL500F40G includes 11 elements in 10 groups, including three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements. It’s also the first G Lens from Sony to feature advanced new coating process that ensures crisper, clearer images. Exclusive to Sony, the ground-breaking Nano AR Coating process cuts internal reflections drastically. Resulting images are brilliantly crisp and clear, with dramatically reduced lens flare and ghosting. Flare is reduced still further by the carbon fibre lens hood that’s lined with black velvet fibres to absorb incident light.

Serious enthusiasts will also welcome a strong emphasis on enhanced handling and ergonomics. Four focus hold buttons are spaced around the lens barrel for easy operation in any position. They’re complemented by a two-way DMF (Direct Manual Focus) mode button and focus range switch for positive, fumble-free operation when you’re shooting under pressure.

Built to order, the SAL500F40G super-telephoto lens from Sony is available from late March 2012.

Comments

I got the new Sony 500 mm F4.0 G supertelephoto lens as soon as you could order it. These appear to be build-to-order lenses. I was told when I bought this almost $13K lens that Sony would offer an extended warranty. That does not seem to be the case. In fact, I was given quite a run-around from customer support (I was twice given a fax number to call for support). This lens does not fit within Sony's existing support stucture. I got referred to their Professional Camcorder Division, and they did not have a way to sell an extended warranty as this is not in their professional catalog. It is beyond the $10K limit on the Sony Store, though not marketed on Sony Style as a Professional lens. Save yourself some headaches. You can buy a comparable Canon or Nikon supertelephoto for $2K less. With those savings, you can get a Canon or Nikon body to go with the lens. I'm not sure of Sony 's marketing strategy but I suggest one look at other options for a lens of this type.

How about bringing on the market something to put behind that gun, or to whom you want to sell that. All Sony FF digitals are discontinued. Sony should do common game with Nikon and sell the same cameras with 2 different mounts and brandnames, at least we has by now a 36 mpix FF and a 24 to come. Shame on you, Sony. Sad to see a 20000$ lens coming from a company that is not even able to put on the market in time a simple 1500$ FF camera.

Sony hang your head in shame.... Ripping off the coloring of Canon L series lenses and believing you can play at this level. Go back and continue to make your half decent consumer products. Leave this to the companies that actually know whet they are doing...

Minolta high end G lenses where on the market in white before Canon used that color. And, Sony or better Minolta, know how to build good glass, in many of them Canon can just take an example. Sony's lens and digital slr department has nothing to do with Sony electronics as such. It has remained the Minolta factory with all the know how involved in that company, Sony just ow it.

Sony is mostly a rip-off company with good products at the time. If you look at sony releases they appeal to people who are ready to buy now or within the next few weeks or 2-3 months. After a product is released they discontinue it and all of a sudden forget backwards compatible accessories.

For everyone before you buy sony they like to play games. Instead of recalling the Nex 5N back from retailers, they just send out a message making you return your camera after waiting for a few days upon receiving it and then you have to wait weeks to get it back.

Minolta made a great 400mm f4.5 for about $6k, i picked one up for $2.8K from a japan dealer new once Konica bought Minolta out and they were stuck with stock. It is a fantastically sharp len with simply amazing colour rendition. I do hope Sony redo this lens with SSM, but I am now terrified that once they slap a Sony badge on it they'll want $10K for it.

The price of this 500 f4 is simply crazy! Oh and made to order, what planet do they live on?? ....From a very dissatisfied A77 customer.

The Minolta 4.5/400 is indeed excellent. But it never costed 6000 USD. It was only around 2000-3000.I actually bought one used for about that price, and it is an awesome lens.While I would love to own the 4/500, my 4.5/400 will probably keep me very satisfied until the street price for the 4/500 has come down to ~7000 USD.

It has the Hasselblad 'moon' camera factor (if you're younger than 40 just Google ;-), WHITE = EXPENSIVE. This lens is not to make profits, it is a Sony image builder. Will be used to shoot birds at the Zoo by millionaires/billionaires.

finally they give some firm details! disappointing to not name price (i assume will be around the Canon and Nikon equivalents ~ $9000) but long overdue re-commitment to the top end of the market which Sony had shown no appetite for a long while . disappointing that it's order only, no idea of delivery time in that case either.

Not just good for 36x24mm "legacy format" maybe: on the 24MP A77, cropping to 6MP (still very usable for lots of wildlife and sports) gives the FOV of 1500mm in the old currency, and at "1000mm FOV" you get an even healthier 13.5MP. Or use it on a NEX7 with adaptor, if just to look silly.

A cropped sensor does not increase the 'reach' of a lens. It does not change the focal length of a lens what so ever. All you are doing is zooming in on the same shot taken with a larger sensor. If the cropped sensor has higher pixel density than the larger sensor then you have a bit more pixels to zoom in on.I better example would be to compare the recently announced Nikon D800, which has approximately the same pixel density as the D7000. At 36mp the D800 means you now gain nothing using the D7000 - or any other cropped sensor Nikon body. Zoom in on the D800 image to the same ratio as the D7000 and the D800 will have a few more pixles to work with...

Very good what I see here. Hope they start making a revision of their current lens lineup and decide to update them with SSM or weather sealing to match current A77 and future weather sealed bodies. It's not hard to re-release the "old" Minolta 200mm f/2.8 or 300mm f/4, isn't it?

i just stumbled on this, was surprised that sony didn't have a 500mm prior to this. i'm a nikon shooter and have their 500vr, and after having used a few lesser long zooms, all i can say is that you get what you pay for. in reading this as an objective observer i am struck by a couple of things--first, 'made to order' is just crazy. if you aren't going to let dealers have at least a little inventory why bother at all. it's not like a car where there are several options to choose from that could make it difficult for a dealer to pick what to have in inventory--this is just a camera lens. second, i am amazed that they would have the nerve to price this above the already sky high prices that canon and nikon charge for their big glass. even pros aren't totally insensitive to equipment cost, and the two things above are just begging people to keep picking canon and nikon over sony imho.

There's a new Canon 500mm f/4L IS mkII coming (delayed by the Japan disaster last year) and it will have a similar price than the Sony is not lower. The Nikon version is not that old and it has appeared the same year when Sony announced the first mockup of their 500mm (2007)...

The current Canon 24-70L sells for arounf £1100. The new mkII sells for £2300 and the price will go down. The Sony/Zeiss is stabilized only with camera bodies with IBIS

The Fujifilm X-S1 is actually a 6.1mm - 158.6 mm. There is no comparison in resolving power, and F5.6 at 159mm which doesn't excite me very much. Using a similar crop-factor the Sony 500mm F4 would become a 2000mm F4. Very impressive when you juggle the numbers in a creative fashion. Still: the X-S1 sounds like a fun and versatile camera, probably good value for money.

What are you, a billionaire? Or just plain arrogant? I see no compelling reason why this lense should be so much more expensive than the Nikon or Canon equivalent. It's not a matter of being able to afford it, this is simply a rip-off.

-SAL 500mm lens is ¥1312500 Yen, conversion rate is $17067.6188 but no US price yet-70-300 G lens ¥110250 yen, conversion rate is $1433 but US price is $849.99-70-400 G lens ¥262500 yen, conversion rate is $3413 but US price is $1799.99so my guess is, the US price for 500mm is somewhere $10,000 - $13,000 to be competitive.

A wonderful lens. But also a good illustration why this pauper covets something like the Fuji X-S1, or any sort of <$1,000 devices that offers long zoom and a sensor bigger than 1/2.3". After all, a FF alternative would not be something I could use that often, or want to carry around, even if money weren't a constraint.

Ah, I am not a fan of such big lenses either but one look at the quality of photos and I instantly know that for those who have the patience and will to make proper use of these lenses will be rewarded by something really special.

As good as superzooms are, they are pretty useless at the long end of the zoom.

Agreed. But this 500mm Goliath is mostly for the young, gym-type crowd, surely. Problem I can see with a fixed focal length zoom such as this 500mm beast is, if you don't like the framing, you've gotta change out the whole lens on the camera. That'll probably take you a couple of minutes right there, right?

With a zoom, you can change framing in a nanosecond, which is even more important when you happen to record a video clip.

I am a bit perplexed about such replies. This is a lens for (semi)professionals. Sure it is huge and heavy and expensive, but is not meant for the average consumer. You only need it for the ultimate image quality.

FF camera from Sony, I knew this announce is going to happen except not this early. Maybe, the reason is to prevent buyers from pre-ordering the D800 and wait what Sony has. Yes, people do have multiple systems.

Built to order?That should prevent them from having to build many, or selling many (if any).

What Sony user is going to have the patience to wait while one gets built? Whe we decide, we are an impatient lot. Speculation of the pricing aside, this will not be a cheap lens. One thinks long and hard before purchase of something in this price range. Does Sony really expect them to wait another month or so to get this lens?

Sony - Put you money where you promises are. Make at least a few as stock. You don't have to flood the market, just enought to provide retailers who are willing to speculate their clients will want one.

Is it just me or does anyone else think it looks something made up from a Canon parts bin?Without the badges - and the mounting changed - it would not look out of place on a Canon pro dealers shelf. Surely it must be running copyrights very close? Or perhaps it is licenced from Canon?

It's not the paint - it's the parts. The switches on the barrel; the glass over the distance scale; the front buttons, etc all look so close as to be inter-changeable with the ones on my L lenses. And yes they have been like that since the Minolta days.

Because we can? Production on order. Could be amazing but who is going to buy it? Is there a market for a $10K lens for Sony Cameras. People who have that kinda cash are most likely Canon/Nikon users. Wealthy enthusiast maybe but then were talking Leica. Not many pros shooting Sony that I have heard of.

I think all the competition in this area is great. Although I suspect Sony is going to price the thing out of the market. Higher than Canon and surely higher than Nikon. I will be anxious to see the images with this thing. But I bet they are going to fewwww and far between.I personally think it is a mistake to price these lenses over the top. It is excellent advertisement for the company. I sure hope it is in the price range where Sony shooters can afford to buy some. At least in the Canon price range. 10,500 dollars.

hmm, not enough buttons on this one. It should have a button for direct upload to facebook, and a direct print button. Then there should be styles buttons, i.e. BIF eagles, BIF cormorants, BIF hummingbirds, Zoo button, Whalewatching button, Candid (Paparazzi) button, etc. :-). Finally a small black sticker that can be put on the front lens, to demonstrate that dust on the front lens does not interfere with the image.

It is weird that DPReview, as pros, consider the lack of the SLT technology in a Pro level camera strange. The technology clearly shows it's limitations over the "ultimate possible IQ" and a Pro level FF DSLR is a camera where one expects more IQ biased aproach, than a purely inovation based aproach. The lack of SLT technology at this level doesn't affect the investment in any possible way - most sales are at lower level anyway.

Clearly? I've so far seen the weaker AA filter in the NEX line having an impact on quality, confirmed by Nikon offering a d800 and d800e. The impact of the mirror is a bit of light loss (so noise visible earlier at higher iso's, but it also goes down to iso 50) but no ghosting or something like that on the a77 version (a55 did have some issues with the mirror for sure).Purely puristic you might say any filter in front of the sensor has a negative impact...which includes the lens, but you will be needing some glass in any case.

Word is that the FF Sony "A99" will be SLT and they may launch one with 24MP on Photokina and another with 36MP on first quarter of 2013. IMHO, the first one could well be just an A77 body internally modified to have a new 24MP FF sensor ( technology based on NEX 5n's 16MP sensor ) , improved speed dual Bionz processors and doubled buffer size. That would be a low light winner as well as a fast shooting camera which could be priced around US$2600.00!

If I have an issue with that, it is that DPReview assumed that Sony won't pursue DSLR alongside SLT. At least for now, that won't be true. I won't be surprised with a three-pronged approach from Sony...Full Frame DSLR replacement(s) for A850/A900Full Frame SLT introduction (above NEX-77)Full Frame Mirror-less (above NEX-7)

Hugo and Sam - the effect is clearly concerning the photons hitting the wells and the comparative analysis of photons hitting each well and the ratio of photon introduced noise and the read-out noise. To keep the long story short at all other conditions similar an SLT camera will produce more noise and less DR than a standard DSLR camera. That counts for Pros, who are the target of this cameras, period (even if it doesn't count for me and you).

Actually, SonyAlphaRumors (which has a stellar track record) has said Sony will be releasing three full frames cameras within the next year; the first one will have a 24mp sensor, another will have a 36mp sensor, and the third will be a "hybrid mount" camera that takes both a-mount and e-mount lenses (probably a NEX).

Sorry it's ridiculous to think IBIS system can cope with a supertele lens like this. IBIS does not stabilise the VF image and with a 500mm on a crop sensor the image will be bouncing all over the place. if you've never used a supertele you will be shocked. Now add a 2x TC and try it! This should have had IS built into the lens; no way a sensor will be able to be shifted enough to counter the extreme shake of such long FL. Oh that's right Sony doesn't have such a thing.

Actually I'm going to go ahead and tell you that you're wrong. I regularly handhold my Minolta 600/4 with the a850 and the IBIS works just as it should. Optical would have been nice, I won't argue with anyone on that point, but with the 500 being 5 pounds lighter I have no doubts it will work quite well, even handheld.

The point on using a 2x converter is moot: At that long a focal length you're going to need a good tripod anyway just to retain the subject in the viewfinder. If you've got a good tripod underneath the lens, why should you need stabilization at all?

You obviously haven't used a Sony DSLR/T camera and not familiar with the Sony Super Steady Shot. I use my Minolta 400/4.5 lens with 1.4x TC with my A77 and still can get good results. Sturdy tripod is a must if you want even better results.

Firstly to assume that IBS in ineffective shows little understanding of IBS. A lot of users with IBS cameras regularly shoot at over 1000mm (35mm) and achieve a 4 stop advantage. IBS is very effective at longer focal lengths maybe more so that the shorter lengths. As to a view finder image a lot of photographers at this length just use it as a framing and info device. Also added to a camera with a EVF it becomes a moot point as the image will be stabilized in the view finder. And before one goes off about EVF , it is the future whether we like it or not. This lens looks like a great Sony addition ( and this from a Olympus DSLR shooter)

Did I say IBIS doesn't work. It's good to see at least Martinka got it. I'm talking about IBIS can't stabilise the VF image at all, not that it won't stabilise the final shot. Again you are not serious if you think not having a stabilised VF with a supertele is not important.

Sony has in lens stabilization for the Nex line, I am a little surprised they did not include it in a >10k $ lens.On the a77 it can be stabilized in the EVF, on the a900 it won't be stabilized in the VF. My bet is that the small audience this lens appeals to are shooting a900's over a77's, so its probably aimed at the a900 replacement camera and it beat that cam to market due to floodings.

LOL, I can still remember last year when one pundit claimed that Sony was abandoning the full frame DSLR camera. He is definitely eating crow. The new camera will almost certainly have the same sensor as the D800 and it will probably have a lower price. Long live competition. Long live the full frame DSLR.

That is not at all what was reported. First, he reported that higher-up corporate executives were considering whether or not to discontinue the manufacture of full frame sensors, not that any decision had been made. Indeed, he reported that the information was provided to him by sources hoping the publicizing the issue would help the executives decide to not kill full frame sensor development. Second, he reported that there was a sensor already in the pipeline which suggested that there likely would be at least one more full frame camera. No crow has been served.

Mark, stop defending Thom like a parrot. Thom is a nobody, especially when it comes to Sony insiders, and upper management, and he has been wrong many times in his predictions. Have a look at his 2011 predictions that he did in 2010 to have a good laugh.

"Sony has confirmed it will be making a full-frame replacement for its flagship A900 DSLR. No further details were given"Wow that's lame, tell us something we haven't known for years! Imo 'it will be making' means they haven't even started on it. Why in the world would they let their competition bring a new ff camera to the market with a new Sony sensor and not not only not have a camera ready to compete, they dont even have a name, specs, mock up, date, info, nothing. Total FAIL. Given their slow to market track record... man I wouldn't be suprised if it doesn't come out till 2015. They should've used the momentum of last years releases and atleast had a mock up & name out there. Im sure it'll be a sweet camera, but at this point, falling so behind of the new canon & Nikon FF cameras coming out, why even bother? Current Sony shooters will buy it, but no way is anyone gonna choose it over the new Canikon models and the cheap used older models that will be flooding the market.

They are announcing it now because Nikon just announced the D800. Sony has been busy working on its mirrorless cameras and the pellicle mirror cameras. That is why it takes a little longer to bring out the new camera. They should take their time too, instead of rushing it out before it is ready.

to keep up with other that already available on all Canon EOS LV dSLRs, and Nikon D3/D3x/D3s/D4... and low-to-mid level alphas, SLT's and part-time on NEX's... it was missing on A900, and the A850 totally lacked LV whatsoever.

hopefully, Sony won't skip on it, like Nikon skipped on their D800/D800E...

sdyue, you're absolutely the only person I've ever heard of on these forums that gives one flip for Exposure Simulation in liveview mode yet you spout off about it at every chance you get over the years as if it is something special. I mean it has seems your reason for living.

For starters, most of us do not shoot in liveview the vast percentage of the time. Secondly, most of us are not going to want the blinkie screen bugging us pre-exposure. Moreover if we want it, everyone from the cheapest to the most expensive can pretty much have it after the click.

It's just amazing to me that you've been at it for several years yelping from forum to forum about this somewhat amateur feature, even well before you ever even owned a camera. What's the deal? Why is your promotion of this thing so important to you. I'm truly curious. I mean it seems so obsessive compulsive I find it amazing. You even post the exact same message multiple times in some threads over and over. Why?

i dont give crap about live-view. most of the time, I look into the VF. the only thing VF is good for is when taking low or high angle shots AND assuming the LCD has swivel and stuff. D800 doesn't seem to have this LCD swivel feature (correct me if I'm wrong).

as a photographer, I don't really use the movie mode that much either. I'm one who still prefers OVF over EVF. I wish that somehow Sony can make OVF/EVF hybrid.

Not sure on this exposure simulation stuff, but Live view in Sony is very useful since it uses phase AF rather than slower contrast AF. I know a couple of people who use live view to shoot 90% of the time since there is no performance loss compared to using the viewfinder.

This is more true for the older Sony DSLRs like the A300 and A330 which had a terribly tiny viewfinder.

Lol, maybe it is her favorite feature or she has difficulties in predicting optimal exposure settings without preview! You cant dismiss the fact its a handy feature to have, especially when you shoot action, and thankfully the OLED EVF has it, along with focus magnification, histogram, WB, digital level gauge etc! When will people stop picking out on others and give others their own space! Everyone is different and have their own preferences